don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第132节

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another　mole　resembling　that　on　the　thick　of　the　thigh　on　that　side　on
which　she　has　the　one　on　her　ace；　but　hairs　of　the　length　thou　hast
mentioned　are　very　long　for　moles。〃
　　〃Well；　all　I　can　say　is　there　they　were　as　plain　as　could　be；〃
replied　Sancho。
　　〃I　believe　it；　my　friend；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃for　nature
bestowed　nothing　on　Dulcinea　that　was　not　perfect　and　well…finished；
and　so；　if　she　had　a　hundred　moles　like　the　one　thou　hast　described；
in　her　they　would　not　be　moles；　but　moons　and　shining　stars。　But
tell　me；　Sancho；　that　which　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　pack…saddle　as　thou
wert　fixing　it；　was　it　a　flat…saddle　or　a　side…saddle？〃
　　〃It　was　neither；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but　a　jineta　saddle；　with　a　field
covering　worth　half　a　kingdom；　so　rich　is　it。〃
　　〃And　that　I　could　not　see　all　this；　Sancho！〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃once
more　I　say；　and　will　say　a　thousand　times；　I　am　the　most　unfortunate
of　men。〃
　　Sancho；　the　rogue；　had　enough　to　do　to　hide　his　laughter；　at　hearing
the　simplicity　of　the　master　he　had　so　nicely　befooled。　At　length；
after　a　good　deal　more　conversation　had　passed　between　them；　they
remounted　their　beasts；　and　followed　the　road　to　Saragossa；　which　they
expected　to　reach　in　time　to　take　part　in　a　certain　grand　festival
which　is　held　every　year　in　that　illustrious　city；　but　before　they　got
there　things　happened　to　them；　so　many；　so　important；　and　so
strange；　that　they　deserve　to　be　recorded　and　read；　as　will　be　seen
farther　on。
　　

CHAPTER　XI
　　OF　THE　STRANGE　ADVENTURE　WHICH　THE　VALIANT　DON　QUIXOTE　HAD　WITH
THE　CAR　OR　CART　OF　〃THE　CORTES　OF　DEATH〃

　　DEJECTED　beyond　measure　did　Don　Quixote　pursue　his　journey；
turning　over　in　his　mind　the　cruel　trick　the　enchanters　had　played　him
in　changing　his　lady　Dulcinea　into　the　vile　shape　of　the　village　lass；
nor　could　he　think　of　any　way　of　restoring　her　to　her　original　form；
and　these　reflections　so　absorbed　him；　that　without　being　aware　of
it　he　let　go　Rocinante's　bridle；　and　he；　perceiving　the　liberty　that
was　granted　him；　stopped　at　every　step　to　crop　the　fresh　grass　with
which　the　plain　abounded。
　　Sancho　recalled　him　from　his　reverie。　〃Melancholy；　senor；〃　said
he；　〃was　made；　not　for　beasts；　but　for　men；　but　if　men　give　way　to
it　overmuch　they　turn　to　beasts；　control　yourself；　your　worship；　be
yourself　again；　gather　up　Rocinante's　reins；　cheer　up；　rouse
yourself　and　show　that　gallant　spirit　that　knights…errant　ought　to
have。　What　the　devil　is　this？　What　weakness　is　this？　Are　we　here　or　in
France？　The　devil　fly　away　with　all　the　Dulcineas　in　the　world；　for
the　well…being　of　a　single　knight…errant　is　of　more　consequence　than
all　the　enchantments　and　transformations　on　earth。〃
　　〃Hush；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote　in　a　weak　and　faint　voice；　〃hush
and　utter　no　blasphemies　against　that　enchanted　lady；　for　I　alone　am
to　blame　for　her　misfortune　and　hard　fate；　her　calamity　has　come　of
the　hatred　the　wicked　bear　me。〃
　　〃So　say　I；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃his　heart　rend　in　twain；　I　trow；　who
saw　her　once；　to　see　her　now。〃
　　〃Thou　mayest　well　say　that；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃as　thou
sawest　her　in　the　full　perfection　of　her　beauty；　for　the　enchantment
does　not　go　so　far　as　to　pervert　thy　vision　or　hide　her　loveliness
from　thee；　against　me　alone　and　against　my　eyes　is　the　strength　of　its
venom　directed。　Nevertheless；　there　is　one　thing　which　has　occurred　to
me；　and　that　is　that　thou　didst　ill　describe　her　beauty　to　me；　for；　as
well　as　I　recollect；　thou　saidst　that　her　eyes　were　pearls；　but　eyes
that　are　like　pearls　are　rather　the　eyes　of　a　sea…bream　than　of　a
lady；　and　I　am　persuaded　that　Dulcinea's　must　be　green　emeralds；
full　and　soft；　with　two　rainbows　for　eyebrows；　take　away　those
pearls　from　her　eyes　and　transfer　them　to　her　teeth；　for　beyond　a
doubt；　Sancho；　thou　hast　taken　the　one　for　the　other；　the　eyes　for　the
teeth。〃
　　〃Very　likely；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　her　beauty　bewildered　me　as　much　as
her　ugliness　did　your　worship；　but　let　us　leave　it　all　to　God；　who
alone　knows　what　is　to　happen　in　this　vale　of　tears；　in　this　evil
world　of　ours；　where　there　is　hardly　a　thing　to　be　found　without
some　mixture　of　wickedness；　roguery；　and　rascality。　But　one　thing；
senor；　troubles　me　more　than　all　the　rest；　and　that　is　thinking　what
is　to　be　done　when　your　worship　conquers　some　giant；　or　some　other
knight；　and　orders　him　to　go　and　present　himself　before　the　beauty
of　the　lady　Dulcinea。　Where　is　this　poor　giant；　or　this　poor　wretch　of
a　vanquished　knight；　to　find　her？　I　think　I　can　see　them　wandering　all
over　El　Toboso；　looking　like　noddies；　and　asking　for　my　lady　Dulcinea；
and　even　if　they　meet　her　in　the　middle　of　the　street　they　won't
know　her　any　more　than　they　would　my　father。〃
　　〃Perhaps；　Sancho；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃the　enchantment　does　not
go　so　far　as　to　deprive　conquered　and　presented　giants　and　knights
of　the　power　of　recognising　Dulcinea；　we　will　try　by　experiment　with
one　or　two　of　the　first　I　vanquish　and　send　to　her；　whether　they　see
her　or　not；　by　commanding　them　to　return　and　give　me　an　account　of
what　happened　to　them　in　this　respect。〃
　　〃I　declare；　I　think　what　your　worship　has　proposed　is　excellent；〃
said　Sancho；　〃and　that　by　this　plan　we　shall　find　out　what　we　want
to　know；　and　if　it　be　that　it　is　only　from　your　worship　she　is　hidden；
the　misfortune　will　be　more　yours　than　hers；　but　so　long　as　the　lady
Dulcinea　is　well　and　happy；　we　on　our　part　will　make　the　best　of　it；
and　get　on　as　well　as　we　can；　seeking　our　adventures；　and　leaving　Time
to　take　his　own　course；　for　he　is　the　best　physician　for　these　and
greater　ailments。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　about　to　reply　to　Sancho　Panza；　but　he　was　prevented
by　a　cart　crossing　the　road　full　of　the　most　diverse　and　strange
personages　and　figures　that　could　be　imagined。　He　who　led　the　mules
and　acted　as　carter　was　a　hideous　demon；　the　cart　was　open　to　the　sky；
without　a　tilt　or　cane　roof；　and　the　first　figure　that　presented
itself　to　Don　Quixote's　eyes　was　that　of　Death　itself　with　a　human
face；　next　to　it　was　an　angel　with　large　painted　wings；　and　at　one
side　an　emperor；　with　a　crown；　to　all　appearance　of　gold；　on　his　head。
At　the　feet　of　Death　was　the　god　called　Cupid；　without　his　bandage；
but　with　his　bow；　quiver；　and　arrows；　there　was　also　a　knight　in
full　armour；　except　that　he　had　no　morion　or　helmet；　but　only　a　hat
decked　with　plumes　of　divers　colours；　and　along　with　these　there
were　others　with　a　variety　of　costumes　and　faces。　All　this；
unexpectedly　encountered；　took　Don　Quixote　somewhat　aback；　and
struck　terror　into　the　heart　of　Sancho；　but　the　next　instant　Don
Quixote　was　glad　of　it；　believing　that　some　new　perilous　adventure　was
presenting　itself　to　him；　and　under　this　impression；　and　with　a　spirit
prepared　to　face　any　danger；　he　planted　himself　in　front　of　the
cart；　and　in　a　loud　and　menacing　tone；　exclaimed；　〃Carter；　or
coachman；　or　devil；　or　whatever　thou　art；　tell　me　at　once　who　thou
art；　whither　thou　art　going；　and　who　these　folk　are　thou　carriest　in
thy　wagon；　which　looks　more　like　Charon's　boat　than　an　ordinary　cart。〃
　　To　which　the　devil；　stopping　the　cart；　answered　quietly；　〃Senor；
we　are　players　of　Angulo　el　Malo's　company；　we　have　been　acting　the
play　of　'The　Cortes　of　Death'　this　morning；　which　is　the　octave　of
Corpus　Christi；　in　a　village　behind　that　hill；　and　we　have　to　act　it
this　afternoon　in　that　village　which　you　can　see　from　this；　and　as
it　is　so　near；　and　to　save　the　trouble　of　undressing　and　dressing
again；　we　go　in　the　costumes　in　which　we　perform。　That　lad　there
appears　as　Death；　that　other　as　an　angel；　that　woman；　the　manager's
wife；　plays　the　queen；　this　one　the　soldier；　that　the　emperor；　and　I
the　devil；　and　I　am　one　of　the　principal　characters　of　the　play；　for
in　this　company　I　take　the　leading　parts。　If　you　want　to　know　anything
more　about　us；　ask　me　and　I　will　answer　with　the　utmost　exactitude；
for　as　I　am　a　devil　I　am　up　to　everything。〃
　　〃By　the　faith　of　a　knight…errant；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃when　I
saw　this　cart　I　fancied　some　great　adventure　was　presenting　itself
to　me；　but　I　declare　one　must　touch　with　the　hand　what　appears　to
the　eye；　if　illusions　are　to　be　avoided。　God　speed　you；　good　people；
keep　your　festival；　and　remember；　if　you　demand　of　me　ought　wherein
I　can　render　you　a　service；　I　will　do　it　gladly　and　willingly；　for
from　a　child　I　was　fond　of　the　play；　and　in　my　youth　a　keen　lover　of
the　actor's　art。〃
　　While　they　were　talking；　fate　so　willed　it　that　one　of　the　company
in　a　mummers'　dress　with　a　great　number　of　bells；　and　armed　with　three
blown　ox…bladders　at　the　end　of　a　stick；　joined　them；　and　this
merry…andrew　approaching　Don　Quixote；　began　flourishing　his　stick
and　banging　the　ground　with　the　bladders　and　cutting　capers　with　great
jingling　of　the　bells；　which　untoward　apparition　so　startled　Rocinante
that；　in　spite　of　Don　Quixote's　efforts　to　hold　him　in；　taking　the　bit
between　his　teeth　he　set　off　across　the　plain　with　greater　speed
than　the　bones　of　his　anatomy　ever　gave　any　promise　of。　Sancho；　who
thought　his　master　was　in　danger　of　being　thrown；　jumped　off　Dapple；
and　ran　in　all　haste　to　help　him；　but　by　the　time　he　reached　him　he
wa